Through gateway devices or routers Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or enterprise network (such as a LANS) providers can permit a wide variety of users access to their networks and to other online services. Because high speed access to enterprise networks, the Internet and on-line services is a desirable commodity, like long distance telephone service, costs associated with the service are typically passed on to the remote user/subscriber. Therefore, in many instances the remote user/subscriber is concerned with being able to acquire network access and service in the most cost efficient and convenient manner.
In this regard, service concerns of subscribers accessing local networks through gateway devices parallel those concerns of customers utilizing internet service providers for conventional telephone line dial-up Internet access. In both cases, users typically want inexpensive, flexible and customer friendly service options. Correspondingly, a gateway device administrator desires the capability to be able to offer the user/subscriber numerous and different service and billing rate options, like those available in conventional dial-up internet access. For example, the remote user in a hotel environment may desire a subscription for only a day, or for the duration of their stay at the hotel. The user/subscriber may be charged on an hourly rate, a daily rate, a weekly rate, or at any other interval. Such flexible plans offer cost savings to consumers and are an attractive incentive to lure customers into buying access time to the enterprise network, online services or the internet.
Unlike conventional dial-up internet access, however, gateway devices permit remote users to access various computer networks and on-line services without having a prior service contract or an ongoing relationship with the service provider. Therefore, unlike conventional dial up access plans, which can bill subscribers on a set monthly schedule, gateway devices make recouping remote access charges more challenging. This is especially true for nomadic users, who may utilize a remote connection to a network only once before relocating. Once the traveler has moved onward, the network provider may have difficulty in collecting any unpaid service charges. Furthermore, billing of nomadic users is another hurdle to fast and easy access to the enterprise network, on-line services and the internet. The benefits of remote plug and play access therefore may be overshadowed by time consuming payment methods. For example, where a user is required to complete an onerous billing procedure to pre-purchase local network time or to pay for the network use after each session, the user may decide not to use the network. Thus, any convenience provided by the computer network is superceded by the inconvenient billing method.
Gateway device administrators also desire convenient methods in which to bill users/subscribers. Because the gateway device enables subscribers immediate plug and play connections to computer networks, such as hotel or airport networks, the computer network provider and/or service provider of the high speed network would like to quickly and immediately bill the users/subscribers. This billing should be able to easily track a user/subscriber's usage of the network so as to recoup costs for the network hardware and network connection. Furthermore, such billing should be automated such that system administrators do not need to individually bill each user.
Therefore, it is desirable for customers, network providers and service providers to implement automatic billing through a gateway device utilizing a management system already used for billing customers. Such automatic billing utilizing the present invention to automatically send a billing record to a management system would benefit customers by facilitating fast and easy access, and also would benefit network providers who could appropriately charge customers for obtaining network or Internet access.